"This year's awards will see the addition of a new element - the Radio 2 Folk Awards Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame will recognise the special contribution of an individual to the world of folk music; someone whose impact and influence has had a lasting impression.

The first entrant to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is Cecil Sharp - widely regarded as being a key figure in having helped lay the foundations for the modern folk revival in the early 20th century."

And what are the criteria, the forms of contribution made, which may be considered. What about Gerry Sharp of Topic Records? Bill Leader? Fred Woods who founded Folk Review? The Beeb's own Charles Parker, who commissioned the Radio Ballads? Early folk club founders like John Hasted and Russell Quaye in London, Tom Gilfellon, Ali Anderson, Johnny Handle, Colin Ross on Tyneside, Harry Boardman in Manchester? "Enablers" like Eric Winter & Ian A Anderson?....

I feel sure the BBC will have rules for theirs. They will almost certainly keep quiet about them and hence much unhappiness will be generated,

I launched this to see how people here on Mudcat, clearly a good cross section of well balanced people with a deep and wide experience of all that is folk, to see whom we feel have done, and in some cases continue to do, good things to them old songs, tunes and customs.